The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-07-02
STORY TOLD BY A HEN.
Wonderful Eggs, and How They Helped t.
Celebrate the Fourth.


The only time l was really free from
all care was when [ was an egg That
was because l did not know much.
But | must say, though I'm not bit
proud or stuck up, that it was greatly
to my credit that 1 decided to be
Plymouth Rock, when l might have
been a common, everyday sort of barn
yard fowl, or even horrid, vulgar tur-
key, or, worse than all, q ridiculous
goose. An egg can not be too careful
about such matters. If breed isn't
every thing, it is good deal.
1t was wonderful day, l can tell
you, when [ opened first a window,
and then door, in my shell, and
stepped out. had no idea there was
so much to see, but since then | have
Travelled extensively; if L haven't seen
every thing, l have seen most every
thing.
Before l go any further want to tell
you that, of all the funny things in
Henland, the funniest of all is boy
and the most dreadful. | don't know
what boys were made for, but / sup
pose there must be some reason for it.
There are some good points about
them, though; I'll admit this, because
l would not Intentionally do injustice
even to boy. For instance, when they
feed us, as they sometimes do--when
they don't forget it. But l believe they
would rather peg" stones and things
at us, for they very rarely forgot to do
that-when there is no one watching
them.
The most exciting adventure of my
life was with a boy, and that was what
started to tell you about. His name
was Fritz-what ridiculous names boys
do have! but one becomes used to that
after awhile-and he lives in the large
white hen-house, with green blinds,
which is only a short walk from my
own coy coop.
One day Fritz and his father were
visiting my coop. 1t seems odd that
such big things as boys should have
bigger things that are their fathers;
but the boys know the most-I found
that out by hearing Fritz say so. Boys
and their fathers say such queer things,
too! On the day I speak of Fritz said:
''Pa, | haven't got single cent for
the Fourth. Won't you please let me
have couple of dollars to buy fire
works and snap-crackers?'
That's too much to waste on noise
and burnt fingers" said his father.
Then gimme dollar, won't you,
please?"
'No, but I'll tell you what 1 will do.
You may have all the eggs Madam
Mayhower"-th my name-"lays
from now until the Fourth. She's good
for an egg day, and the money you'll
get for what she will lay in six weeks
will make disturbance enough"
"All right, pa" said Fritz II know
her eggs, and I'll see that none of them
get away"
My eggs, if I do say it, are not hard
to distinguish from common eggs
they are so much larger, smoother
and whittier, and more stylish in every
way.
After Fritz's father had gone, Fritz
said to me-
"Now, old Mayblossom, you Just
want to go in for all you're worth. An
egg a day is the contract, and you'll
keep it, too, if there is spark of pa
triotism in your speckled breast, for
all my Fourth of July fun must come
out of you. See here, MADAME
With that he took round, red thing
out of his pocket, and little stick of
wood that made :. funny noise, and,
after holding them together minute,
he threw the round, red thing down in
front of me.
"There?' he said. you've got to
hatch out my fre-crackers, and there's
a sample copy for you to work by!''
l didn't understand at all what he
meant | thought it was new kind of
red worm, and Twas just about to get
a good taste of it when-SizzLe! BANG!
it went, making the awfulest noise
you ever heard. 1 was stunned and
blinded for moment and thought l
| gave a cry and flew up on the fence.
Fritz just stood there and laughed at
my fright, till | thought he, too, would
burst up in noise and small pieces
like the red worm that he called fire
cracker. After he had got so he could
speak again, and as he was going off,
he said
''Just remember that every egg you
lay. Dame Partlett, will have whole
bunch of fire-crackers like that in it!'
Perhaps you can imagine what a
state of mind was in. Could it be
possible that my eggs would contain
such dreadful things as that? But
had to lay, and take the chances, al
though for the first few days l cut and
run the instant the egg was in the nest
for fear sometime dreadful would hap